16. Chapter 16
Chapter 16
BERNIE
N o excuse had been necessary as I’d snuck into camp as silent as the darkness was. Remaining on the outskirts of the group, leaning up against a tree, I simply watched and listened. Specifically Kat. She smiled and laughed, giggling loudly with Emma. Wyatt chatted wildly, drawing most of the attention to himself as the campfire and moon above provided the only illumination around us.
The other guys joined in the conversation with Wyatt here and there, but it was mostly Kat’s dad who said things. Her mom wrestled Beau and Levi, until the two of them slowly leaned against her lap, tired. She ran her fingers through their hair as their eyes slid across the campsite.
I felt split in half, as different as black and white. One side of me was absolutely pissed at myself for whatever shit happened that had allowed me to almost break down in front of Kat, the other side of me felt a little lighter. Just a little. And only for a moment .
Muffin curled up by my boot, barely moving, out like a light. The hours that had passed, the time since we’d eaten were lost on me, and I wasn’t in the mood to look at my watch.
My mind felt as split as my soul. One half focusing on Kat, the other half dwelling on Wyatt and the strange conversation that we’d stumbled upon. Granted, my reaction to the branch snapping had initially not been caused by the appearance of Wyatt, but a flash into a world where I’d eventually be returning without Duncan.
But luckily, Kat hadn’t asked too much because of Wyatt. And my thoughts immediately went to drugs. The mention of them doubling the amount he needed to push while staying on the same timeline. He must be wrapped up with some sort of drug dealers, though probably local and not too big-time; otherwise, they wouldn’t have risked showing up in such a vulnerable spot. I’d seen this before, taken out one too many drug dealing terrorists in my career to not quickly pick up on the clues.
Something bumped against my leg. Glancing down, I offered a small smile as Beau patted my thigh again. “Can I pet Muffin?” he quietly asked.
“She’s sleeping right now, so how about in the morning?” I replied, and he nodded. “When’d you notice me over here?”
He gave me a tired grin. “Just a minute ago when I was laying on my mom’s lap. Can we play airsoft again tomorrow? Maybe you can paint my rifle too.”
I nodded once as his every blink moved slower and slower. “’Course we can. And I don’t have any paint here, but when we get back down, I’ll paint it your favorite color. ”
“Can you be my brother, too? Colton’s not been home in a long time, and he used to play with me,” Beau quietly said, his head bobbing.
My stomach twisted. This kid reminded me of Raiden more than I’d realized. He was as spirited and kind as my own brother. He was still innocent. “I think you need to go to bed, little man.”
“Yeah. Wanna sleep in my tent tonight?”
“I think you’re sleeping with your dad and brothers, aren’t you?”
“Yep. But you can sleep with us too instead of all the other ranch hands.”
A chill danced down my spine, alerting me that someone was watching, and I lifted my gaze above his head. Wyatt, Kat, and Kat’s mom all were staring at me.
“Probably not tonight, buddy. Now go on. Your mama is waiting,” I said.
He sighed. “See you in the morning.”
Beau slowly turned around, his shoulders slumped, and he wandered back over to his mother, who rose from her chair. She gave me a nod and smile, silently expressing her thanks as she ushered the two young boys away from the crowd and campfire.
Wyatt narrowed his gaze as the three of them disappeared into a tent. “Where the fuck have you been?” he snarled.
And all eyes swiveled to me. Finally realizing I was standing there. I’d actually hoped nobody would’ve noticed me all night. “Been here the whole time,” I casually replied.
“Why are you here, anyway?” he asked.
I leaned my head back against the trunk. “Emma invited me. ”
There was no way I was going to say shit about Kat.
“And you didn’t think to politely turn her down? I mean, how embarrassing that you had to come here with the women.”
“What can I say, the ladies just like me,” I casually replied, and Kat’s eyes shot to me, widening with a reprimand.
“Or you could’ve manned up and got on a horse. Rode with us.” Wyatt took a step forward.
“Kat rode up with you, and last I checked, she was a woman too,” I raised a brow.
Well, that hadn’t lasted long.
“Kat’s not a woman like Emma is,” Wyatt said, lifting a beer bottle to his lips.
“The fuck does that mean?” I furrowed my brows and glanced at the very girl he had just subtly dissed. She shifted her gaze to the ground and stared, unmoving as Emma, seated beside her, glared holes through Wyatt.
“What the hell, Wyatt?” Emma snapped, pursing her lips.
Wyatt threw his hands up in defense. “No, I’m just saying that Kat is—”
“Is what?” I interjected. “Better at this whole ranch shit than you are?”
Emma smirked, yet Kat still didn’t move.
“Oooooo,” Wyatt’s buddy beside him whistled, a grin sliding across his face.
“Shut up,” Wyatt hissed and then returned his attention to me. “She’s just… Kat. Besides, what kind of man has a pink gun? ”
There it was. Another jab at how much of a man I was—or wasn’t. But, lucky—or unlucky—for him, the one thing I had no doubts in, no insecurities about, was who I was as a man.
“I do. Pink’s a fucking great color and the bedazzling adds the perfect touch,” I said, glancing back at Wyatt. “It’s not about what the gun looks like, never has been.”
Man, I could go for a fucking cigarette right now and my team, not this asshole…
“And that right there is why you are no man. You’d be spotted a mile away with that thing.”
“Are we in the middle of a fucking war and I didn’t know about it? ’Cause if so, I get to pick teams first so Kat can be on mine.” I shook my head, already annoyed by this conversation. Let me have my damn gun.
“Where’d you get the rifle anyway? I don’t remember any of Kat’s being pink.”
“I painted my own,” I stated.
He rolled his eyes, glancing around the group looking for backup. “And you’re clearly proud of it.”
“Damn fucking right. I think I did a great job. There’s no streaks on it or anything.”
Wyatt scoffed. “I bet you even made that little pink Kevlar vest for your weird thing you call a cat too.”
“Yeah, I did. And she’s not a thing. Her name is Muffin, and she has bigger balls than you do.” As I stooped down to pick up Muffin, snorts of laughter slipped around the campfire.
“She doesn’t have balls,” Wyatt shot back .
“Exactly, princess. Exactly,” I replied and one of the guys seated next to Kat rocked forward, laughter erupting from his belly.
“Ah, shit!” he bellowed between each wheeze. “I like this guy. I really like this guy.”
Wyatt’s cheeks flushed a twinge pinker in the light of the campfire.
I raised a brow as I cradled Muffin into my arms and stood back up, leaning against the tree trunk and catching Kat’s gaze. Her features flashed between frustration and looking as if she was about to cry, and my heart sank.
Shit. I’d not thought before speaking. I hadn’t played a very good game of coming across as indifferent toward Wyatt and it clearly upset her. I shoved the guilt down and glanced back at Wyatt.
He opened his mouth, but I shook my head. “I wouldn’t. That wasn’t even my best shit I’ve come up with.”
He snapped his lips together and knotted his jaw, tearing his gaze away and looking at anything else.
“I’m Sawyer, Kat’s brother,” the guy who’d laughed said, his eyes sparkling as he studied a quiet Wyatt. Sawyer looked a lot like Kat, shorter than usual, blue eyes, but he wasn’t quite as stocky as she was.
I waited for another half a second before prying my questioning eyes away from Wyatt and looking at Sawyer. For the first time in my life, I no longer wanted the attention. My usual snarky attitude had hurt Kat.
I’d hurt Kat.
“Bernie.” I lifted my chin in a curt nod.
“Yeah, we all know who you are. You made quite an impression with the whole bronc ride.” He rested his elbows against his knees .
“Right,” I muttered, watching his sister through my peripherals as she closed her eyes and a single tear slid down her cheek. “Uh, I’m gonna go take a piss and hit the sack. Muffin’s worn out,” I quickly added and gestured at my sleeping cat. The warmth from her body caressed my skin as I turned around, and without giving anyone a chance to say anything more, without looking at Kat again, I disappeared into the trees.
What a fucking fool I’d been, and it sucked even more because I’d not had the best one-liners or comebacks either. I was so confused and lost. Everything blissful from hours earlier, torn away by a dickhead named Wyatt, and I hadn’t even put him in his place. Instead, I’d hurt Kat with my impulsive, immature behavior.
But he’d called her out. He’d said she wasn’t a woman. She was more woman than any other woman I’d ever come across. How he couldn’t see that, was lost on me.
Fuck, what was wrong with me? Why was this guy getting under my skin so easily?
Was I… jealous ?